


2000 days too many

by croiagusanam



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Dark! Sally, Discussion Of Murder, Past Abuse, Sally Critical, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:35:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26091256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/croiagusanam/pseuds/croiagusanam
Summary: "What makes you think it was quick?"Sally opens up in an attempt to help Percy
Comments: 3
Kudos: 38





	2000 days too many

She can hear his shouts through the wall. The sobs too. Sally isn't quite sure what her son had gone through over the past eight months. She has some ideas though, from the way he and Annabeth had clung to each other when they arrived to the apartment. The way they had both looked hollow. The way the nightmares had started right after she left.

The first night, Sally had hoped she was imagining them. The second, she had known it was real. After the third, she had known she had to act. Early the next morning she found him, eyes ringed with red and deep purple bags hanging below them. She'd heard him get out of bed before 6am just to sit at the table, staring into space. He barely acknowledges her presence as she moves through the kitchen, until she shoves a mug of tea into his hands.

"Drink that, it will help." She waits for him to raise the mug to his lips before continuing. "You can't keep bottling it up, Perce. Something will give eventually - and I'm afraid it'll be you."

He looks up at her then, and the pain in his eyes breaks her heart. It wasn't that long ago really, since those eyes had been filled with joy as he was sat in a high chair and babbled away at her.

"I... the things I felt down there. What I did. I can't... it's not fair to put those on you." He has a pleading, almost manic look in his eyes.

"Ok then. I'm just going to talk then, and if you want to add something, go ahead." Sally steels herself for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "Everyone has moments they regret. Everyone has made mistakes in the moment. But letting that define you, control you doesn't make it better. It wasn't until I started to talk about mine that I was ready to move on. To apologise to you. The thought of that helped keep me going all those months I knew nothing about what had happened"

He's staring at her, wide eyed. "Mom, what on earth do you have to apologise for? You've only ever done your best-"

"Every day of the six years I spent married to that man was a mistake. I lied and said it was for you, but it wasn't. It was selfish." Percy looks ready to interrupt but she moves on quickly. "About that time, the monsters started to appear. I was so afraid to send you to Camp, to lose you. But when Gabe was around, they went away. So I made the selfish choice. I got to keep you close for just a bit longer, no matter how much it hurt you."

"He hurt you too, Mom."

"I know, sweetheart. But it was my job to protect you and I failed in it. There's not a day that goes past I'm not grateful you forgave me for it."

He seems to have come out of his shell somewhat, uneasily moving his fingers over his new tattoo. At least, she hoped it was a tattoo and not a brand. "You got rid of him quickly, though. When I was down there I...I caused pain. To the goddess, to-"

"What makes you think it was quick?" She interrupts him. "All that shitty beer dulled his taste. He never even noticed the extra ingredients in my dips until he could barely move. By the time I pulled him over to the chair and posed him, the head of Medusa must have been a relief."

"I...you...how..." He's stammering now, mouth agape. She slides a card across the table to him and points at it.

"I struggled with how what I did made me feel. I bottled it up, and it hurt me. Until Chiron suggested I see someone who might understand while you were gone. Vanessa helped immensely, and I think she might help you too. She's a daughter of Aphrodite as well, so no need to hide anything. And if she doesn't work out, we'll find someone else."

He's quiet for a moment, cheeks wet. Finally he whispers a quiet "thanks, Mom" and slides the card into his pocket before moving around the table to hug her. "Despite it all, I'm glad you're on my side."

**Author's Note:**

> This is unbeta'd so I may come back and edit later


End file.
